• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.129-150
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• 2023

Purpose - This study is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and aims to explore the decision-making mechanisms of consumers participating in value co-creation activities within virtual brand communities. Methodology - The research involved a comprehensive survey of 405 participants from various virtual brand communities. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis, applying SPSS and AMOS to test the hypotheses. The study focused on community rules and regulations, community experience and community trust. Results - The research found that community rules and regulations significantly impact subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, but not directly influence consumer attitudes. Community experience positively affected consumer attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Community trust was found to positively influence these aspects of consumer decision-making. However, a gap was identified in the direct influence of perceived behavioral control on actual consumer behavior. Implications - The findings of this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of factors affecting consumer behavior in virtual brand communities. It underscores the necessity for community managers to develop strategies that consider these internal decision-making mechanisms, facilitating more effective community engagement. The study also identifies a potential area for future research in the direct influence of perceived behavioral control on actual consumer behavior.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2017

The purposes of this study were to verify the effects of HMR (Home Meal Replacement) brand image on purchase intention and brand loyalty. In addition, the mediating role of brand trust was also examined between purchase intention and brand loyalty. This survey was conducted with those who have bought HMR in Seoul and Kyonggi area, Korea, using a convenience sampling method. After a total of 300 responses were collected, 275 were used for the analyses. Both standard and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. The results are as follows. First, it was found that emotional image had an effect on purchase of HMR but that social image did not have an effect on purchase of HMR. Second, purchase intention of HMR significantly impacted brand loyalty. Third, brand trust of HMR was found to mediate the relationship between purchase intention and brand loyalty of HMR. These findings provide practical implication for researchers and marketer regarding relationship marketing strategy in the HMR context.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2014

Recently, brand equity is paid much attention in various industries. However, container liner shipping companies are still unfamiliar with this concept, and also the brand equity model has not been tested yet in shipping context. This study, therefore, aims to measure the relative importance of brand equity factors of container liner shipping companies by employing AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process). This study concludes that perceived quality, in particular cost-related service quality, is the most influential factor of brand equity, while weak support is found for brand association. In addition to this, group comparisons were conducted between shipping companies, freight forwarders and academics. The results will be useful as they firstly define brand equity and its role in shipping context, highlighting the significance of brand management to container liner shipping firms. This evaluation is not an end in itself, but will eventually be utilised as a tool to build competitive advantage which cannot be easily imitated by competitors.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.107-116
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• 2018

The aim of this study is to delve deeper into the online brand community study. This study tests (a) the effects of online brand community on its outcomes, (b) the impact of value creation practice construct as a whole, (c) the effects of value creating practice construct on the two types of loyalty, loyalty toward the brand and the community. Participants of this study (N=353) are members of four types of online brand communities (e.g., business-to-consumer virtual product support community, firm-hosted online community, user-generated online community, peer-to-peer problem-solving community, and social media based brand community). Data were collected online using Amazon Mechanical Turk from April 10, 2016 to May 10, 2016. The data were analyzed through structural equations modeling using AMOS 20. The three community markers (e.g., consciousness of kind, rituals and traditions, and moral responsibility) and the four value creation practices (e.g., social networking, impression management, community engagement, and brand use) are proved to be significant indicators of online brand community and value creation practice constructs, respectively. Test results showed that strong and effective online brand communities generate value creation practices, and value creation practices enhance brand loyalty. The mediating effects of community loyalty between value creation practices and brand loyalty were revealed.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.293-303
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• 2018

This paper aimed to research the brand personality, brand equity, and brand value of Taobao and Jindong (JD) as well as the difference between the two brands. Chinese consumers receive the questionnaire survey in groups. A total of 321 questionnaires were distributed, of which, 162 for Taobao and 159 for JD. The findings, first, determine the brand personalities of Taobao(sincerity, sophistication, competence and excitement) and JD(competence, sophistication, and excitement). Second, find the influential relationship between brand personality and brand equity. For Taobao, the sincerity of personality has a positive impact on brand loyalty, image and perceived quality. The competence impact on brand loyalty, awareness, and image. The sophistication impact on brand image and perceived quality. Competence and sophistication of the JD personality impact on the brand equity. Excitement of JD impact on the perceived quality. Third, the brand loyalty and perceived quality of Taobao have a positive influence on the brand value; and brand loyalty, image, and perceived quality of JD have a positive influence on the brand value. In the future research, the findings of the research provide a theory basis for the brand management, and can take more consideration into the relations among other variables in the context of online shopping environment.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.89-99
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• 2021

A brand community refers to a group of people who have a passion and loyalty for the brand, and is attracting attention as an effective marketing strategy to increase brand equity because it actively tends to support and promote the brand without expecting compensation. The objective of this study is to identify factors that are needed for sustainable brand community management. Existing studies on brand community management have mainly been conducted by quantitative methods measuring consumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction towards brand community activities, however, this study applied qualitative methods using means-end chains and laddering approaches in order to deeply identify a consumer's desired value on brand community activities. An in-depth interview of 41 members of BTS ARMY, a representative example of brand community, has been conducted and analyzed. The result of this study is as follows. In order to encourage active brand community activities, it is important to provide brand community members with a variety of high-quality brand-related content for a unique aesthetic experience, and a forum where all members can interact and exchange information and ideas to enhance brand value and experience. Finally, to nurture a strong brand community as a partner to co-create brand equity, rather than just a fan community, it is needed to build an environment that fosters opportunities for brand community members to increase self-respect and fulfillment through their brand community activities.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.26-45
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• 2012

Market players have realized the importance of brand power and tried to develop effective marketing programs which focus on consumer's brand experience. This study aims to investigate brand experience and brand personality effect on brand attitude which is overall consumer's faith toward brands and repurchase intention in food-franchised by Structural Equation Model. As results, both brand experience and brand personality affect brand attitude although brand experience has more influence than brand personality. As consumers show positive brand experience and attitude, repurchase intention is higher. Brand attitude plays a mediation role in the relation of brand experience and personality, and repurchase intention. Also brand experience shows more influence than others on repurchase intention.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.173-193
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of servicescape factors(space, convenience, aesthetics, comfortableness, cleanliness), brand reputation and experiences factors(feel, think, act, relate) on emotional and cognitive reactions of visitors to Korean restaurants. It also investigated the relationship between emotional and cognitive reactions and brand loyalty. A total of 353 questionnaires were analyzed using the factor analysis, a reliability test, and structural equation modeling analysis. The results revealed that space, aesthetics and comfortableness were positively related to emotional reaction, and convenience and cleanliness were related to cognitive reaction. This study also found that brand reputation was positively related to emotional and cognitive reactions. Moreover, it was found that think was positively related to emotional reaction, and feel, think, act and relate were positively related to cognitive reaction. Finally, cognitive reaction was positively related to loyalty. Therefore, Korean restaurant marketers should introduce or strengthen servicescape, brand reputation and experiences, which increases brand attitude or loyalty.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.682-691
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• 2011

The purpose of this research was to identify not only the effect of what consumers want from their brand identification and brand attachment, but also the effect of their perceived brand identification on their perceived brand attachment in the family restaurant setting. This research also investigated the causal relationship between a consumer's perceived brand attachment and brand loyalty. A total of 332 questionnaires were collected from customers who visited one of 4 nationallybranded family restaurants in Daegu. With the consent of the store managers of each family restaurant brand, students of Dongguk University helped respondents fill out questionnaires and collected the data. There were three major findings of this research. First, the benefits that consumers wanted were found to have a significant effect on their perceived brand identification and brand attachment. Second, the perceived brand identification of customers was found to have a significant effect on their perceived brand attachment. And third, the perceived brand attachment of customers was found to have a significant effect on their perceived brand loyalty. Also, consumer's benefits sought affected their perceived brand attachment through their perceived brand identification, and consumer's benefits sought and brand identification respectively influenced their perceived brand loyalty through their perceived brand attachment. Therefore, marketing managers or general managers of family restaurants should identify consumer benefits in order to increase sales and profits.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.167-184
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• 2009

New internet trend, such as Web 2.0, has brought about new roles of users and changes in the web ecosystem. In the age of information overload like nowadays, activities in the brand community sites help to make more reasonable decisions in choosing certain brands and products. In order to examine organizational strategic aspects of brand community, this study examine (1) what difference exists in user satisfaction according to the brand community types (the user-initiated type and the corporate-established type), and (2) which dimensions of service quality affect brand community users' satisfaction. Research findings show that types of brand community influence perceived user satisfaction, and tangibility, reliability, interactivity, and stability dimensions of service quality make a positive influence on user satisfaction as well. Practical implications for managing brand community sites in marketing perspectives are further discussed.